Gaming machines which provide players awards in primary or base wagering games are well known. Gaming machines generally require the player to place or make a wager to activate the primary or base wagering game. In many of these gaming machines, an award is based on the player obtaining a winning symbol or symbol combination and on the amount of the wager (e.g., the higher the wager, the higher the award). Symbols or symbol combinations which are less likely to occur usually provide higher awards. Symbols or symbol combinations which are more likely to occur usually provide lower awards.
Certain players enjoy playing wagering games which provide both lower awards which are more likely to occur and higher awards which are less likely to occur. However, certain other players would rather only receive higher awards, even if such awards are provided less frequently. These players prefer more volatility in their gaming experience and find wagering games including too many lower and frequent awards less exciting and entertaining. Eliminating or lowering the number of these lower and frequent awards to make the wagering game more exciting for these players is not possible in some wagering game configurations in part because in these configurations, the symbols or symbol combinations associated with lower awards are components of the symbol combinations associated with higher awards.
For example, in a five-reel slot type game, if “A-A-A,” “A-A-A-A” and “A-A-A-A-A” are winning symbol combinations, it is difficult to eliminate the “A-A-A” symbol combination from being evaluated because it makes up part of the other winning symbol combinations. In such cases, eliminating “A-A-A” from a win evaluation would eliminate the possibility of a player receiving a likely higher award for “A-A-A-A” or “A-A-A-A-A.”
Thus, a need exists for a wagering game which limits the availability of lower and frequent awards, while maintaining a reasonable payback percentage.